Swiss pharma giant Roche sends lab equipment to DRC to tackle Ebola outbreak
Roche is supporting efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by providing laboratory equipment.
Select your language
Generated with artificial intelligence.
Listening:
Swiss pharma giant Roche sends lab equipment to DRC to tackle Ebola outbreak
The Basel-based pharmaceutical company is supplying the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) with two molecular testing devices, Roche said on Wednesday.
More
Ebola vaccine: ‘In an outbreak situation we’re racing against time’
Once the equipment has been prepared and local laboratory staff have been trained, the devices will be deployed in Bunia. Roche’s PCR test for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola will also be trialled there. The test can detect the virus’s genetic material in samples. It is currently intended for research use only and has not yet been approved for diagnostic use.
Following successful testing, Roche plans to supply additional tests and provide further equipment if needed. The aim is to help expand the country’s limited testing capacity.
More
Inside Geneva Summer profile: tackling Ebola in DRC
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ebola outbreak that began in May is the largest ever recorded in the DRC. By the end of September, nearly 8,000 cases and about 3,800 deaths had been confirmed and 63 health zones across seven provinces had been affected, with Ituri among the hardest-hit areas. The WHO has classified the risk level in the DRC as very high.
+ How we produce news in English
Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.